Disclaimer: Don't own or profit from this. . . . only OC's and plot twists/changes are mine
Author's notes: The chapter that ties up Reid's addiction/post-addiction, then on to more Morgan! Enjoy! And review!
CHAPTER 7: A Fond Farewell
Aimee pulled into her driveway and grabbed the Chinese food she had bought. "Do you use chopsticks?" she asked.
"I'll pass," he said.
"Forks it is then," she said and took one for herself so he wouldn't feel self-conscious. "Brad asked me out today."
"The one your grandma was talking about?" he asked with a grin as he brushed his hair out of the way.
"Yeah. He slipped on something, though, and landed on his ass. It was quite funny," she said with a smirk remembering his face.
"And you turned him down like your grandma saw?"
"Of course! It would be rude to make one of her visions wrong!" Aimee said sarcastically. "He's not my type."
"Morgan will be glad to hear that," Reid said trying to sound nonchalant but Aimee choked on her drink.
"What? Really?" Aimee said. "Well, I don't think it will work, even if I wanted it too."
"Why do you say that? You saw it not working?"
She shook her head sadly. "No, I don't really ever see anything for myself. This comes from experience," she said bitterly. Relationships didn't last long once they found out she was psychic.
"At least you have experience," Reid said. "Sometimes I feel like I am a dunce in certain . . . ah, social aspects."
Aimee snorted. "Reid, you could have girls falling at your feet. You're good looking," she pointed out. "Not to mention sweet. Girls completely go for that."
"I just don't know how to . . .well, let's say I am not exactly a smooth talker like Morgan. Especially when I don't know them well."
"You did fine around me."
"That was a case. And I haven't exactly been myself," he added. "Plus. . . you make it easy– to talk to, I mean."
"Do you have anyone you are interested in?"
"I don't exactly get out much."
"We will have to change that then," Aimee decided. "Chocolate?" she asked as she pulled out some chocolate bars she had also grabbed. "How about we go clubbing? It will be an experience!"
She thought he almost cringed at the idea. "Probably one of the rites of passages that are horrible but each generation passes it on to the next simply because they themselves had to go through it."
"I'll stay with you the entire night," she said. "You will find someone to dance with and you will have a good time."
Reid thought it sounded like a demand and he was afraid if he didn't there would be consequences. "I'm not sure . . ."
"Ah, please? For me?" She did her best puppy eyes and Reid knew he was giving in.
"Alright," he said.
"Great. Saturday night then!" she said. "Something to look forward too. And I will get you a date if it's the last thing I do."
"It just might be." Reid muttered. "Can I ask you a few questions about your abilities?"
"I've been wondering when you would ask," she admitted. The fact it was the same day after the dream didn't help but she didn't want to bring that up. She decided not to think on it for right now. "Am I a field study?" she teased.
"I haven't met any real psychics before," he said and she could hear the enthusiasm and excitement he was feeling at the thought of learning something from her. "What I want to know…well, can you use it whenever you want?"
"It's not something I can turn off and on, sometimes things invade me, sometimes I can force myself to see things, other times there are more like precautions to keep myself . . . in check. It truly depends, like the case where I met you, the environment was so hostile and emotional; it's harder to concentrate, so images can attack me unaware."
Reid found it interesting she used the word 'attack.' "I know your mom doesn't have the gift, but how did your dad take it?"
Aimee swirled the wine in her glass before answering. "My dad didn't like it. He didn't like my grandmother, and was . . . disappointed I had the gift. Even though my younger brother was normal, my father still never adjusted. He finally left when I was 7."
"I'm sorry," Reid said, sorry he brought it up.
"It's alright. My step-dad is okay with it," she said with a shrug and taking a drink. With all these memories and emotions, she just knew she was going to see something tonight. "And my father was the one who got me my first job in Hollywood, kind of an attempt to make-up for not being there as I got harassed growing up."
"So. . . can you see the dead?" he asked, grinning, hoping to lighten the mood.
"Are you kidding? That's creepy!" Aimee said. "Thankfully no. I'd have nightmares every night and I have them often enough now as it is. My grandma swears, though, that she communed with the ghost of Roy Rogers, her first true love," she said laughing. "She goes to these haunted places to see if they are haunted. She says the ones that are, the spirits are misunderstood, angry, or something violent was done to them. A lot of places leave fingerprints, etchings of what use to be. Happy, sad, violent . . ." she trailed off. "So what did you do today?" she asked changing the subject.
"I started making some arrangements," he said. "Moving my mother here makes the most sense."
"Good," she said.
"Did you see me doing that?"
"Ah, where would the fun be if I told you everything I saw?" she teased but sobered up quickly. "I've learned to keep my own council, not just for your sake, but mainly for mine."
"Maybe I'm not the only one who needs to talk about something," he said.
"No, but I am not the one crashing on a friends' empty bedroom," she said.
There was a pause before he said, "friend?"
"You've been living here a little over a week. If we aren't friends we have to be something," she said.
"I'm surprised is all," he said. "And grateful. I don't have a lot of friends outside the team."
"Nothing wrong with your team being your family, Percival," she said. "It must be nice having a close knit group of people who understand you and accept you for who you are."
"Even if they don't know about this part of me?"
"You said so yourself that they figured it out. They care about you, so they notice."
"Do you have this? The close knit group of people who understand you?"
"As a person, . . .almost. As a psychic?" she trailed off, thinking about how she didn't reveal she was a psychic to a lot of people. "People find out, like when I get involved with cases, . . ."
"But that isn't the same. Who do you tell? Who close to you knows?"
"Just my family. Grandma, mom, step-dad, brother and sister-in-law," she said with a shrug. "Any more and they tend to freak out."
"Is this what you meant by experience?" He asked remembering her comment about Morgan.
"You have a knack for remembering everything, don't you?" she said. "It's late, I'll see you later."
"You know you can tell me," Reid said. "I want to return the favor."
"No favor to return," Aimee said. "I'm happy I could help you."
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Three days later it was Saturday. Reid was trying to be optimistic that this couldn't be any worse than what happened with Tobias, but as they pulled up he wasn't so sure. "This won't be torture; if it gets too bad we can leave and catch a movie. Or I know of this great café. You need to get out and test the waters anyways," Aimee said. "Staying cooped up inside isn't the best way to bounce back."
"I am not the clubbing type. That falls more under Morgan's category."
"I will talk all night about Star Trek tomorrow if you want," she said. "I just bought these shoes and they are begging to be out." That made him grin.
"Just no dancing," he said. "If you value your shoes that much it would be best to avoid it."
She grinned. "Alright. I'll find someone else to dance with then. Some of my friends are going to be here so you will have company." They got in and she found three of her girlfriends. He thought it was strategic of her to make sure he was surrounded by beautiful women to make him feel even more awkward. "This is Spencer," Aimee said introducing him.
Although the entire night was awkward, he reflected as they got back, he was happy he didn't trip once or spill anything or put his foot in his mouth (too many times). "A success," Aimee said speaking his thoughts aloud.
"Not one I want to repeat," he said. "At least, not any time soon."
"Would you prefer a café? They have a nice one near the college," Aimee said. "We can go there tomorrow."
"I have to go back soon. I only got a few more days on my vacation," Reid said. "What do you see for me?" He asked curiously.
She was happy he was sincerely curious and not mocking her. "Your mom moving here, your friends, your team, there with you to welcome her to her new home. How does your office feel about inter-office dating?" she asked suddenly.
"That one can't be for me," he said shyly.
"You are adorable when you are shy," she said with a grin. "I'm glad you found a place for your mom . . . here, and in your life," she said. "She will like it here . . . but it will take some used to getting adjusted to the humidity. Buy her a few fans for her room. Maybe a mister."
"Thanks," he said. She nodded and went off to bed.
She was more upset about his leaving than she thought she would be. She actually liked having Reid here. It made things seem more lively having another person in the house. Even if the circumstances weren't perfect. And it almost felt like a real friend and confidant who knew all of her deep, dark secrets and accepted it.
She knew she was asleep, but she felt so cold. The eyes were back. Those dratted green eyes. This time they held only pain, and the hope it would all be over. Aimee woke up gasping for breath. She was happy it was almost 6, so she wouldn't miss out on a lot of sleep. She slipped on her slippers and patted down to her darkroom. She figured she might as well start developing her latest roll of film. She smiled remembering the last few pictures she took.
She walked down the stairs and found Reid had fallen asleep on the couch with a book. She was tempted to wake him up, but suddenly felt inspired. She quietly slipped into her room and grabbed her camera. She moved the blanket up higher, but left the book in sight. She snapped a few shots quietly, and crept back to her room. 'How adorable he looks when he's asleep.'
She could hear Reid walking around in the kitchen making breakfast as she was finishing up the film. She finished up, cleaned up her station, and headed out to spend the last day of his vacation with him.
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Thanks to all who read and special thanks to Helena Fallon, Soccer-Bitch, LoraLee, Skyeseeker, and Deanne Stevenson for reviewing! I won't be able to update again till Monday at the earliest due to finals and Commencement.
